The Stranger
by archangel012
Summary: Damon used to being in control, what happens when he has to depend on someone else? Happens long before returning to Mystic Falls. 1st attempt at writing- please let me know what you think!
1. Chapter 1

I had never seen Master be so cruel and I didn't understand why. All I knew was that a man was being slowly tortured to death two floors beneath my room. Sometimes I could hear his cries as I was scrubbing floors or folding linens. It made my heart stop each time, and I would strain to listen. To hear what, I wasn't exactly sure. This went on for weeks when suddenly Master ordered me to clean the prisoner's wounds. It made no sense to me. Why heal something you ultimately plan to kill? But, of course, I couldn't ask why. I was a housekeeper, a servant. I had no voice- not in this house.

I had been a servant here for almost three years, ever since I turned eighteen. That was the year my father passed and my mother could not support me and my four brothers and sisters. I was the oldest, so it was decided I would go to work and help the family. I had hoped to go to normal school and become a teacher, but we desperately needed money and my uncle was able to find a live-in servant's position for me. At first I was thrilled. The house was more grand than anything I had ever encountered. I felt like a princess in my own room with my very own bed- a first. My wages were enough and I was able to send it all back home to my mother. Over time, however, I realized that Master was strange and unkind. I was more than a little afraid of him. He never yelled at or struck me, but his demeanor reflected a man who was not to be trifled with. I had seen the repercussions of those who dared to defy him.

I had been here just a short time when the first of the strangers arrived. Rumors among the servants were that this man was a demon and Master was scourging him from the earth. His screams, which to me, sounded much like a normal man's, haunted my thoughts and dreams. His torture was over quickly, though. Within two days, his body was carried out in a large gunney sack. I don't know where he was taken, and I wondered if he had a family and whether they would ever know what happened to him. After that, one would arrive every few months. They never lasted longer than two or three days. I never saw these men, just heard them. And so this is how I carried out my days, trying desperately to ignore the horrible acts occurring just downstairs.

But now, I was going to have to _see_ this new stranger. Not only see him, but touch him and tend his wounds. I gathered supplies from the medicinal cabinet, but I wasn't really sure what I'd need. I had no idea what kind of shape the stranger might be in, so I grabbed two or three of everything I saw and stuffed them in my carryall. As I walked down the stairs to the laboratory, I tried to control my thoughts and my breathing. Rumors of demons resurfaced in my mind and I became aware that my heart was thrumming at an accelerated pace. It seemed as if it were increasing exponentially with each step of my descent. Upon reaching the laboratory door, I took three deep breaths to steady my nerves.

When I finally looked through the paned glass window, he was lying so still, I wasn't sure whether or not he was awake. Whether or not he was even still alive. His wrists and ankles were bruised and caked with dried blood where the irons held him captive. He had gashes about his face and body, blood dripping into pools on the floor. His right eye was a swollen, purple mass beneath his brow. It made me cringe just to look at his battered form chained to the floor.

I slowly opened the door and stepped into the room, the door softly clicking shut behind me. The stranger didn't stir. There was a small metal table between the stranger and I and it was loaded with menacing looking instruments. I averted my eyes quickly, but not before I saw hooks, knives, and rods of all sizes, several stained with blood. I made sure to give the table a wide berth and I eased across the floor toward the stranger. I paused, unsure of what to do. There was blood all around him, no way for me to get near enough to him without kneeling in the dark, inky pools. So, gingerly, I knelt, making certain my long skirts provided a layer of insulation between my skin and the blood on the floor.

Now that I was close, I could see the stranger was still breathing, but they were slow, shallow breaths. His eyes were closed and his head lilted slightly to the left. My eyes scanned his body, accessing the damage. His torso seemed to have taken the brunt of it. It almost seemed as if he were wearing a scarlet sweater, there was so much blood on his chest. Other than the abrasions at his ankles, his lower body appeared unharmed. His blue cotton pants were relatively clean, considering the gory mess all around him. His face was swollen on the right side because of his black eye, but was otherwise unscathed, save a few minor cuts.

I pulled a wad of gauze and antiseptic from the carryall. The smell of the antiseptic burned my nose as I poured it onto the gauze. After replacing the lid on the medicine, I wavered, unsure of where to start. After a moment of deliberation, I decided to begin at the top and work my way down. My hand was shaking as I moved toward his face. What if he startled at my touch? Was he really a demon? I held my breath as the gauze brushed against his brow, wiping away the dirt and dried blood. The stranger did not stir. I continued slowly cleaning his face and neck. He had a few cuts and scrapes, and those I bandaged with gauze and tape.

Next I moved to his torso. The gapes there were much larger. I was afraid the sting of the antiseptic would jolt him back to consciousness. Very gently, I began the process of cleaning and bandaging the wounds on his torso and arms. I was surprised that he still did not move. Finally, I moved to his ankles and tried my best to tend the sores there. I looked him over once more to make certain I had not missed anything. Satisfied with my job, I gathered up the carryall and started out of the room. I had my hand on the door, when I heard him speak. The sound caused me to spin around and look in his direction, fearful that somehow he had gotten loose and was stalking toward me. "Thank you," he murmured from the concrete floor. His voice sounded raspy and tight. I was sure the effort had caused him quite a bit of pain. Shaken, I merely nodded my head once and scurried out the door.

As I lay in bed that night, my thoughts drifted to the stranger. I couldn't imagine how he had feigned slumber while I tended his wounds. The pain was surely unbearable. It was almost as if he knew his movement would frighten me. That seemed an absurd notion though. Why would he care if I was afraid? He was a prisoner who was being tortured by _my_ Master. Wouldn't scaring or hurting me be a way to avenge his situation? And I found myself worrying about his well-being. Had he eaten? Was someone looking for him? How long would he have to suffer before Master finally killed him? It took forever for my mind to finally quiet and go to sleep.

The next morning I was doing the wash when I ran into Nell. Nell was a few years older than I and had been with Master for eight years. She was nice enough, but she loved to gossip and could prattle on about household intrigues for hours. As soon as she saw me, she pulled me to the side. "Did you really have to doctor the demon?" she asked. "Ian told me you did, but I didn't believe him. None of us has ever been summoned to the lab. Besides, what would the Master want to doctor the demon for? He aims to kill it, I imagine. Don't you think?"

I admit I had to agree with her. I'd had the same thoughts. "Yes, Nell. It seems strange to doctor something you are planning to kill. But, I did tend to him, just the same."

Nell looked horrified, "How could you stand to be so near the demon? Did he try any of his trickery on you?"

"No, he didn't. He slept through the whole thing." No need to tell her that he was faking. She wouldn't know what to think of that. Just as I didn't.

She sighed in relief. "Oh, Chloe, you've got to be careful. He's a demon and if he looks you in the eye, he can possess you. Promise me you won't look at his face if you have to go back down there again."

"I doubt Master will ask me to clean him again. I can't imagine he'll last much longer." And somehow the thought made me sad.

I continued with my chores until lunch. I always ate in the courtyard if the weather was willing, and that day it was. The courtyard was a beautiful place full of trees, flowers, and all manner of flora. There was a creek that ran along side the southern border and I usually ate my lunch there at its banks. I had just bitten into my sandwich when Ian came to me with another directive from Master.

"Hello, Chloe. I figured I could find ya out here," Ian boomed as he smiled at me broadly. He was Master's second in command and he ran the lab, the household, and from what I could tell, many of the businesses, too. He was a tall, slender man with light hair and eyes. He wasn't handsome, but he was ambitious and boisterous. I know many girls who would find his sort of man attractive. But, it was obvious he looked down his nose at most of the staff, and he was quite fond of the sound of his own voice. "Master needs ya to clean the subject's wounds and replace his bandages after lunch."

The look on my face must have registered with some degree of shock because he smirked a bit before adding, "Master is starting him on a new round of experiments next week and wants to make sure he's in good condition before getting started. You'll need to attend to him each day til then."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Ofcourse," was my dutiful reply. With that Ian took off back towards the house to attend to some matter. I looked down at my barely eaten sandwich and realized I no longer had much of an appetite. I put my lunch back into my bag and stood up. Without another glance at the white, fluffy clouds floating over head, I walked back to the house and studied the ground.

I entered the lab with my carryall and looked at the stranger chained to the floor. Blood had soaked through many of the bandages on his chest, but I could tell his eye looked much better than the day before. The blood on the floor had dried, thankfully, so I didn't have to worry about staining my only other skirts. I knelt down beside him and fished fresh gauze and antiseptic from the carryall. Careful to not look at his face and trying to heed Nell's warning, I began removing bandages from his torso and cleaning the wounds. I was no expert, but I thought they looked much improved. They were definitely smaller and not as deep as they had appeared yesterday. I had just finished redressing the first gash when he spoke. "What's your name?" he croaked.

Without thinking, I answered, "Chloe." Still I did not meet his gaze.

"Thank you, Chloe." His voice sounded strained, a mix of pain and frustration.

"You're welcome," was my nervous reply. I kept my eyes averted and moved to the second bandage. The blood had dried to the bandage, so when I pulled it off it tugged at the raw flesh. I saw him flinch and heard a small gasp escape from his lips. I froze. "I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this."

He moaned slightly before answering, "It's alright. Please. Continue."

So, I went back to work redressing the wounds. Neither of us spoke again while I finished his torso and then his arms and wrists. I still had to clean his face and was unsure how to do this without looking at it. I figured I'd take my chances with demonic possession rather than Master's wrath for not doing my assigned task.

I lifted my eyes and was taken aback by what I saw. His eye was still swollen, but much less than the day before. I could not believe how much he'd recovered in just one day. His face looked almost healed. And then I noticed how beautiful he was. He was easily the most handsome man I'd ever seen, even with the swelling and discoloration. Although his hair was dark, his eyes were the color of a frozen sea. His facial features were perfect. His nose, brow, and lips looked as if they could have been sculpted by angels themselves. I almost sighed as I took him in.

He noticed my staring and gave me a half smile. It only improved his appearance. I immediately looked back down and could feel my embarrassment creeping up my face. When I finally looked back up, he was staring at me. It made me more nervous than I already was. I wracked my brain to come up with something remotely intelligible to say. I finally came up with, "You must be hungry. Have they fed you at all?"

"Just a little," and for a split second I thought I saw a smirk. "I think he is trying to prolong our time together," he replied. His brows pulled together when he spoke the second sentence and I saw the anguish in his lovely face. I pulled my half-eaten lunch out of the carryall and offered it to him. He nodded his head slightly and I carefully lowered the sandwich to his mouth. He took a small bite, chewed for a few seconds, then swallowed with a gulp. We continued on this way in silence until he had eaten the remainder of my sandwich.

"Are you thirsty?" I asked. I was already moving to the sink before he could reply.

Giving him the water was much harder than feeding him the sandwich. I finally got a little water in his mouth and he sputtered and coughed as he choked it down. I used clean gauze to dry his face.

"Thank you, again, Chloe. You have been extremely kind, and you didn't have to be." Then he gave me another half smile. My heart ached. I had to get out of there and away before my eyes betrayed me.

"I will be back tomorrow to tend to you again." With that I stood and walked to the door.

"Good-bye, Chloe," he called after me.

Once I had cleared the door, I ran up the two flights of stairs to my room. I shut the door and then leaned back against it. My eyes brimmed with tears and I sank to the floor. I could not bear to keep caring for this man while knowing his fate. It was too hard, but I didn't see any way around it. I had to follow Master's orders. _And_ I had to keep it together. The stranger had enough to worry about without having to witness my soft frailties. After a few moments, I stood and dried my face on my skirts. Then I walked back out into the hall and continued with my afternoon chores.


	2. Chapter 2

I hurried through my work, trying to avoid Nell. I just wanted to get away to my room and not face any more questions about the stranger. As I cleaned, images of his face flashed in my mind. The color of his eyes. The curve of his lips. And always, the anguish on his face. I finished mopping the foyer and headed back up to my room. Turning the corner, I was preoccupied with my thoughts. If I had been paying attention, I would have heard his footfalls and ducked away. Instead I walked right smack into him.

"Whoa, there, little missy!" Ian exclaimed as he gripped my arms. "Where're ya off to?"

His grasp made me uncomfortable. He held me too close and I could see the lines that etched the skin around his eyes. He was older than I had realized. I could also smell a faint garlic odor emanating from his skin. "Just headed to my room. I am done with my chores for the day, sir."

"Is that so?" His hands still gripped the flesh of my upper arms and he pulled me closer to him. My breath caught in my throat. I looked down at his chest to lessen the proximity to his face. His voice sounded light and I could tell he was enjoying the look of discomfort on my face. "Ya know, you're just too pretty a girl to be doin' this kinda work. Don't you want to become a wife and a mother? " Suddenly his voice became tense and he pulled me closer. "I could be the one to take ya away from this life. You just say the word."

I looked up to see the intensity in his eyes. He meant what he said. But I could not picture my life with him. Being Ian's wife was not much better than being Master's servant. More than that, I could not imagine marrying someone I didn't love, even if it meant getting away from this place. I looked back down and Ian released my arms. I didn't look up when I answered him. "It's a lovely offer, but it's one I can't accept. I'm sorry." I then took a step to the side and walked around him to my room. I never looked to see, but I could tell from the silence that he had yet to move. I shut my door and sat on the bed. I few moments later I heard him tread down the stairs.

I breathed a sigh of relief and lay back on the bed. My thoughts were muddled. Between the situation with Ian and the situation with the stranger, my mind hopped from one conversation to another. I heard the dinner bell chime for Master. It was six o'clock. It occurred to me that Master and Ian would both be at dinner and the stranger would be alone. I toyed briefly with the idea of going to check on him, but my fear kept me glued to the bed. If I got caught, I would face a severe punishment from Master. And I still feared the stranger, but something in my brain told me he should be the lesser of my two fears.

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes again it was morning. I decided to get an early start. By lunch time, I had finished almost all of my chores for the day. I stopped by the kitchen to pick up my meal and then headed out to the creek. I ate only half of the sandwich. That way I'd have something to share with the stranger. It was another beautiful day and the wind lightly whipped at the tall grasses, giving them the appearance of graceful dancers swaying along to a silent beat.

I had not seen Ian today and I was glad. I was certain he had hurt feelings and I didn't want to be reminded that I was the cause. And because I was ahead of schedule, I had not crossed my usual paths with Nell. It suddenly occurred to me that I had not uttered a single word aloud all day. I smiled at this thought and said aloud, "Silence is golden." The absurdity of it made me laugh out loud. It was the first time I had laughed in a very long time. Shaking my head, I stood and began walking back to the house. And I was surprised to find myself looking forward to my visit with the stranger.

I peered through the glass again before entering. No one was in the room except for him. I strode through the door with my carryall and he turned his head to look in my direction. He smiled and I was again surprised at how much better he looked. I moved to sit by his side, my eyes never leaving his beautiful face. The swelling was all but gone, and he had mix of fading purple and yellow blotches around his right eye. "You look much better today."

"I am actually feeling better, for now at least."

"I brought you half a sandwich, if you're hungry?"

"Yes … please." And so I fed him the sandwich, the same as the day before. Once he was finished, I decided to get to work on the bandages. I worked silently and quickly. Several of his gashes were all but closed up. It appeared as though all the bleeding had stopped. I was happy about that until I realized it meant they would just begin the new torture all the more quickly.

I must have looked distressed, because he lifted his head and asked, "Are you alright?" His voice, though still a little raspy, radiated concern. I nodded my head and continued my work. I finished rather quickly and then sat back unsure of what to do next. I didn't want to leave, but had no reason to stay. I was packing the supplies back into the carryall when he spoke again.

"Would you stay for a while longer? I'd enjoy the company." He gave me his beautiful half smile, so I sat back down. I wasn't sure what to say, so I stared down at my hands, clasping them together.

He spoke first, "How long have you been a servant here?" His voice was tender and I could see he was trying to put me at ease.

"A little over three years." I was surprised at how natural my voice sounded, given my nervousness.

"And how did you come to this place?"

I bit my lip and thought before answering him. "My father passed and my family needed the money. My uncle had done some business with Master and was able to get me the job."

"And do you like it here, then?"

I didn't know how to answer. No one had ever asked me whether I _liked_ anything. It wasn't a matter of like, it was just something that had to be done. I decided to be cautious. "I have room and board and Master sends a stipend to my family for my service."

"That's nice, but it doesn't really answer my question." I shot my eyes up to his face. He looked expectant, like he was still waiting for my response.

I bit my lower lip again. "No, I don't like it here, but I don't have any choice," I answered honestly. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "No, I suppose not."

We sat quietly for another minute. My curiosity was getting the better of me, so I decided to ask a few questions of my own. "You know my name, but I'm afraid I don't know yours."

"My name is Damon. Damon Salvatore."

"Damon," I repeated quietly. My resolve firmed and I decided to keep on. "Damon, do you have a family? Is there anyone who might be looking for you?" I tried to pose the question as though I was merely being curious, hoping he wouldn't see through my false pretense. I felt pretty certain demons didn't have families and his answer might help clue me in.

"No, there's no one looking for me. I've been on my own for a while." He looked away then, but not before I saw the emotion in his face. I immediately regretted my prying. It was obvious there was some story there, one that caused him pain.

Finally, I stated the obvious. "You know that Master will kill you, don't you?"

Damon's face was completely blank, but he answered, "Yes. I know that's his intention."

My hands were still clasped together and I began wringing them in earnest. I wished I had left this particular subject alone. I didn't like thinking of the torture and death that was to come. I looked at his lovely face again. I tried to smile, but my face wouldn't cooperate. I could feel myself getting upset, so I stood with the carryall. "I really must go now." I reached the door and turned, "I will see you tomorrow, Damon."

"Good-bye, Chloe."

As I walked up the stairs I made up my mind. I would have to try to save Damon, demon or not. I could not stand by and witness his death first hand. It was too horrible to imagine. I didn't know how yet, but I knew time was short. He was almost healed and then Master and Ian would be with him constantly. I was going to have to come up with something quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

At dinner, Ian ignored me completely. I was glad. It was easier than having to discuss my refusal. I ate quickly and then hurried out to the courtyard. I was nearing the exit when I overheard Master talking with one of the gardeners. "Make sure you grind the herb into a liquid. I will need it in the lab tomorrow at first light."

If Master was to be in the lab in the morning, then I had no time to lose. I had to get Damon out tonight.

I turned on my heel and sped back up to my room. I would wait until dark and then head down to the lab. I guessed that the keys to his wrist and ankle cuffs would be somewhere in the lab. Master could never imagine that a servant would release one of his demons. In his mind, we were too afraid.

It seemed an eternity passed between dinner and lights out. I lay in bed listening for the sounds of the house to quiet. My heart was beating out of my chest. What was I doing? If I got caught, I would be punished and probably turned out. But then I considered Damon's fate and knew I had to take that chance.

Once I was certain the household was turned in for the night, I tiptoed down to the main floor. I paused outside the laboratory door to peek in. Damon was still chained to the floor and I couldn't see anyone else in the room. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were sleeping. Slowly, I pushed the door open and then eased it back shut. I moved to his side and gently shook his arm. His eyes opened in a flash and he stared at me blankly. I saw awareness light in his eyes and he struggled to raise his head off the floor. "Chloe, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to get you out of here. But we have to hurry. Master is planning to start on you again tomorrow." I started looking around for the keys, in the desk, in the cabinet. "Do you know where the keys to your shackles are?"

"The supply cupboard. I saw Ian put them in there after they brought me in."

I ran over to the cupboard saying a silent prayer the whole way. When I opened the door, sure enough the keys were dangling from a hook on the back of the door. I lifted them off and hurried back to Damon's side. I tried the first key at his wrist, but it didn't turn. I pulled it back out and moved to the next key on the ring. I paused briefly as I considered what I might be doing. What if Damon was something sinister and evil? I looked again at his beautiful face and could not fathom what kind of demon might lie inside him. But, if I left him here, he would surely perish. I didn't think I could bear that thought. I took a deep breath and turned the key. The lock clicked and the shackle fell apart. I looked again at Damon, only to see a look of relief cross his face. "Thank you," he whispered fervently. I moved quickly to his ankles and then to his other wrist. He was free.

Slowly, he sat up and looked around the room. I tossed the keys on the desk and turned back to him. He smiled at me, "You are a brave soul, Chloe." His voice had an edge to it that made me slightly uncomfortable.

I ignored the queasiness in my stomach. "We need to get out of here."

"We?" He looked confused for a half second and his voice sounded incredulous. "No. You shouldn't go with me. It's not safe."

My heart sank at the rejection. Finally, I told him, "Damon, I have to leave. Master will know I am the one who set you free and it won't be safe for me _here_."

He deliberated for a moment. He looked torn. "Let's go," he finally answered and then turned toward the door.

Together we slipped back out into the hallway. It was full dark now, and the house seemed especially creepy. I glanced at Damon and thought how glorious he looked bathed in the moonlight from the windows. He almost seemed to glow. He was scanning the hall and then motioned for me to follow. We eased down to the portico entrance and then out into the dark night.


	4. Chapter 4

When I woke the next morning, I couldn't remember where I was. The sunlight was filtered by the tree branches overheard, but I thought it was still pretty early in the morning. The birds were chirping loudly, getting ready for their day. I pushed up from my horizontal position to lean back against a large oak tree. I closed my eyes again and started going through the previous evening's events. I remembered unlocking Damon and leaving the estate, running behind Damon through the thick forest. _Damon_.

My eyes snapped open and I began scanning the area. I couldn't see him. I stood up and walked in a small circle around the oak, looking for any sign of which way he went, but I found nothing. He was gone. He had left me after all.

I should have known better. He said from the outset that he didn't want me along. But I was so tired. We had been running for hours. We finally stopped to rest and he used it as his opportunity to go off on his own. I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

What was I going to do? I wasn't sure which way to go or even which direction we'd come from. Master and Ian were surely aware of Damon's escape and would be looking for him. And me. I settled on a direction and took off walking. I decided to follow the sun to keep from going in circles and it would keep me going west. I was pretty certain there was a town a few miles west of master's estate.

I had been walking for hours when I heard it. A train whistle! I had to be getting close to the town. This thought drove me faster and faster. I was almost giddy with relief as I made my way to the edge of the woods. I was standing in the tree line at the top of a small hill. I paused to look at the town below. I could see the train station- it was still a couple of miles away. It was afternoon already and I was famished. I'd had nothing to eat or drink since the night before. The thought of water and food was enough to send me flying down the hill to the town.

I walked into the first café I saw and ordered a soda and soup. I must have looked a fright based on all the double takes I was getting from the staff and other customers. I hadn't even thought about it. My stomach had been my main concern. Now that I wasn't so hungry, I became self conscious. I left my money on the counter and hurried out. I stopped in front of the cobbler's shop next door to examine my appearance. I gasped at the sight. My long, blond hair was wild, with bits of dried grass and leaves stuck in it. My right cheek was smudged with dirt and my dress was dirty and wrinkled. I tried to run my fingers through my curls to remove some debris with little success and used my thumb and saliva to clean the dirt from my face. I looked at my reflection again- a little better, but not much.

I gave up on improving my appearance and took off toward the train station. I only had a few dollars left and hoped it would be enough for a ticket. As I approached the ticket counter, I spotted Ian talking with the ticket agent. I turned abruptly and walked back around toward the platform. What was I going to do? I peered back around the corner and saw that Ian had taken up a post by the agent. There was no way to get a ticket without being seen. My only chance was to stowaway.

I walked down the platform, away from the station. I tried several of the box car doors but they were all locked. I kept moving down the length of the train, trying various doors. I could hear the conductor shouting his all aboards. I didn't have much time. The few remaining people on the platform were boarding into the passenger cars. If I didn't find an open door soon, I'd be stuck here waiting on another train. That was just too dangerous with Ian looking for me. I was about to give up hope when I spied a car beyond the platform with its door ajar. I ran to the end of the platform- it was at least a four foot drop to the ground below. I closed my eyes and jumped. I fell forward when I landed and drove my knee into the ground. The pain brought tears to my eyes, but there wasn't any time for that. I hopped up and ran for the open boxcar. I managed to get my foot in a metal stirrup and pulled myself up into the car.

The afternoon sun cut a swath of light through the middle of the car, but the two ends were dark as night. I could hear something moving at the front of the car, so I moved to the opposite end. I bumped into some kind of box, but my eyes had not adjusted to the darkness and I couldn't see what it was. I used my hands to feel the wooden top. I sat down on it with my body facing the front of the car and the ray of light that dissected the car into halves. I could still hear rustling in front of me, and I hoped it was just rats.

The car hitched forward suddenly and then we were moving. I held my breath as the train gathered steam and we rolled past the station. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see I was in a car full of wooden boxes. I still couldn't see through the light to the other side, but the noise had ceased and I started to relax. I leaned back against the boxes behind me and closed my eyes. The sound and motion of the train began to lull me to sleep.

I jerked back into awareness at the sound of a man's voice, "I figure since we are gonna be on this train together for quite a while, we should get to know one another." I scanned the darkness on the other side of the car, but couldn't make anyone out. His voice did not sound friendly.

"What's the matter, love? Cat got your tongue?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know you were there. You took me by surprise." My voice cracked on the last word.

My boxcar foe chuckled at my fear. It was then that I saw him. He had moved and was standing in the light that was slowly fading as night approached. He looked to be in his fifties and had gray hair sticking out in tufts beneath an old hat. His clothes were dirty and patched. His beard was unruly and hung down to the middle of his chest. "Don't be afraid, love. I ain't gonna hurt you. I promise." But it was obvious from the wicked glint in his eyes that he had no intention of keeping that promise.

I scooted back on box until my spine was flush against the row behind me. There was no where to go. I looked around me to search for something to use as a weapon, but there was nothing. The old man started toward me again and my mind steeled itself for the fight to come.

He lunged suddenly and I was knocked onto my side from the force. I kicked at him with my legs and landed a few strikes in his shin. He bent over and howled in pain for a moment. I pushed myself back up and into a standing position. I balled my fists and prepared for his next advance. He looked at me with a mixture of hate and longing. I wasn't sure which emotion frightened me more.

He stood up straight and rushed at me again. I tried to move out of the way, but rammed my thigh into the corner of one of the boxes. The pain caused me to pull up short and the old man toppled me to the floor. He pinned me left arm beneath my back and held my right wrist to the ground beside me. He was using his free hand to pull at my skirts. I squeezed my eyes closed to try and keep the tears from flowing. "Please, no. No. Please don't do this." I begged.

"It'll be alright, honey. You'll see. You're in for a real –".

In a flash, the weight on my body was gone. I opened my eyes and the old man had disappeared. I sat up and looked around the car. I couldn't see where he went but I could hear a soft gurgling sound coming from the other end of the car. I pulled myself up on my wooden box and stood. My arm ached from where it had been lodged beneath me. I could still hear the gurgling and I crept toward the sound. The sun had sank beneath the horizon, and it was dusky dark throughout the car. I could see someone sitting on the other side of a stack of boxes. As I got closer, I could see it was a man and he wasn't sitting, but rather crouched over a body. The old man's body. I wasn't sure what I was seeing and wondered where the other man came from? Suddenly, he turned around and stared at me. I froze to the spot and my eyes widened in shock. The man had blood dripping from his lips and mouth. His eyes were red, like a monster's. But I knew this face. It was the face of an angel. It was Damon.


	5. Chapter 5

I took one step back, and then another. My hands were trembling at my sides. Nell was right. Master was right. He _was_ a demon. He looked at me for another moment, then turned his head. He raised his arm and wiped at his face with his sleeve. When he turned back to me, his eyes were again as blue as the sea. There were only small traces of blood about his face. "You okay?" he asked. His tone was short and business like. His eyes were hard and cold.

I was too afraid I would only stammer if I attempted to speak, so I just nodded. He looked down at my still shaking hands and then back to my face. "You don't need to be afraid. I won't hurt you." His voice had softened, but his eyes were still guarded. He stayed where he was and made no movement toward me.

I looked back at the old man, who now lay unmoving on the floor with blood pooling beneath his head and neck. Only moments before, he had been on the verge of permanently damaging me both physically and emotionally. Realization dawned on me- Damon had saved me from that awful fate. I looked back at him. He was still standing in the same spot and looking at me with obvious concern. He must have thought I was going to lose it.

"You _saved_ me," I said, my voice full of disbelief.

He smiled just a little. "Well, you saved me first, so I thought it was only fair…" His reply was teasing and I could tell he was trying to put me at ease.

My mind was still trying to wrap itself around this new truth. "But, you… you're not…you're a vampire," I finally sputtered.

He took a step toward me, then, stopped. He lowered his voice and his eyes were hard again. "Don't get me wrong, Chloe. I _am_ a monster. I enjoy it. But," and his façade once again was gentle, "I owe you my life. And I don't take that lightly."

I didn't know what to say to that. He had in the same breath confirmed my worst fears about his nature and somehow assuaged the lurking fear that I was in danger. I decided I believed him. If he wanted to hurt me, he'd had plenty of chances, but I was still here and unharmed. I did have questions, though.

"How did you know where I was? You left me in the woods. How did you know I was even on this train or that I was in danger?" My tone was almost accusatory.

He smiled his beautiful half smile. "I don't suppose you'd believe it was coincidence?"

I shook my head. He pursed his lips as he thought about his answer. I could see he was considering whether to tell me the truth. He moved toward me again. He was now standing within an arm's reach. I realized he was wearing a shirt and shoes and wondered where they came from, then decided I probably didn't want to know that answer.

He finally spoke, "I did leave you in the woods, but I didn't go far. I wanted to keep an eye on you. To make sure you were OK. Like I said, I owe you." He hesitated, so I nodded my head, encouraging him to go on. "So, I followed you to the train station and hopped on a few cars back from where I saw you stow away. When I heard you struggling with the vagrant, I intervened." Anger crackled through his voice on the last sentence.

"Thank you. I don't even want to think about what would have happened had you not been here." I shuddered involuntarily.

Damon reached out and rubbed my arm. "You're safe now," he said. I looked down at his touch and he quickly pulled his hand away. I wished he hadn't.

Another thought occured to me. "But if you wanted to 'keep an eye on me', then why did you leave me last night? Why not stay?" It made no sense.

I could see him close down. He wasn't going to answer that question. He changed the subject. "You must be tired. Why don't you get some rest?" he asked.

I was tired, but I was more afraid he'd leave again once I was asleep. I shook my head, but a semi-stifled yawn gave me away. He smiled. "Really, you need to sleep. He's not going to hurt you again." He looked over at the old man with a sinister scowl.

"I'm not really worried about that. I'm afraid that-" I didn't know how to finish. I felt silly admitting I was scared he'd sneak away again. But he misunderstood my hesitation.

Damon stepped back from me. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so I'll leave." He turned and started toward the open boxcar door.

"No, wait!" I nearly shouted. He stopped and turned back to face me. I forced my voice to a more rational tone. "That's not what I meant. I don't want you to leave." I could feel my face flush and I looked down at the floor. "I was only afraid you would sneak off again, like you did in the woods." I could see out of the corner of my eye that he still had not moved. I dared to risk a glance at his face. His lips twitched as if he was fighting back a smile.

"Well, ok, then. I'll stay. Just until you're settled. Where are we headed?"

I frowned at that because I didn't have an answer nor did I like his qualifying statement. I wasn't even sure where this train was heading. I couldn't go to my family, Master would surely look for me there. "I'm not sure," I mumbled and went to reclaim my seat on the wooden box. "I don't have anywhere to go." I drew my legs up and rested my head on my knees. I was exhausted.

"You just sleep now. We'll figure out a plan in the morning," Damon replied.

I took comfort in the fact he would be there to help me the next day. So, I curled up on my side and succumbed to sleep.


End file.
